Suspended plaque-holder.



PATENTED MAY 12, 1908..

J. B. TI'MBBRLAKE.

SUSPENDED PLAQUE HOLDER.

APPLIOATION I'ILED NOV. 11, 1905.

THE

uonms PETERS ca, WASHINGTON, n! c JOHN B. TIMBERLAKE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

SUSPENDED PLAQUE-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed November 11, 1905. Serial No. 286,944.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. TIMBERLAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspended Plaque- Holders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to suspended holders for plaques, plates, and the like, of that type in which there is employed a bifurcated hanger that is adapted to engage with the lower edge of the plaque, a suspension chain and an adjustable hook carried by the chain for engaging with the upper edge of the plaque. Such plaque holders as heretofore made have had a single adjustable hook carried by the chain, and as it sometimes happens that the chain rocks or vibrates relative to the bifurcated hanger and the plaque, carrying therewith the upper plaque-engaging hook, such hook is carried so far to one side of the line of suspension of the plaque that the latter is insecurely held and liable to become detached from the holder.

The invention has for one of its objects to overcome this objection, and this is accomplished by making the adjustable plaqueengaging element of the holder with widely separated engaging points or arms so that it will be practically impossible to swing the plaque-engaging element so far to one side as to carry both its enga ing points or arms entirely to one side of aIine' passing downward midway between the supports of the lower hanger on which the plaque rests.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking or holding means for retaining the two parts of the holder which engage respectively with the opposite edges of the plaque from separating after they have been adjusted to proper engaging and holding positions.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a holder embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the chain or suspension means and the upper pla ue-engaging element rocked relative to the ower hanger, the said upper element being somewhat diflerent in construction from the one illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

In the accompanying drawings A represents the pla ue. Its lower ed e is supported in the hoo s 2 formed at the lower ends of the diverging arms 3 of a bifurcated support or hanger. Such support is preferably formed of a single piece of wire twisted together above the junction of the arms 3 and having at its upper end a loop 4. The suspension means for the hanger, in the drawings represented as being a chain 5, pass through the ring or loop 4. To the lower end of the chain is secured the upper, adjustable, plaque-engaging element or member of the hanger. This part of the holder is bifurcated, having two diverging arms 6, 6, that are formed at their ends with hooks 7 adapted to engage with the upper edge of the plaque. The middle portion of the upper plaque-engaging part of the holder is formed with a loop 8, with which the end of the chain engages.

9 indicates a ring also supported in the loop 8 of the upper plaque-engaging part, and through which the upward extending portion of the chain is passed and through which it is free to move. This ring serves to hold the two parts of the doubled portion of the chain in close relation to each other, as indicated in the drawings.

10 re resents a hook connected with that end of tie chain to which the upper plaqueengaging part of the holder is attached, for convenience being connected with the ring 9. The purpose of the hook is to maintain the several parts of the holder under proper tension after they have been applied to a plaque or other article that is to be suspended, and this is secured by causing the hook to engage with one of the links of that strand of the chain that carries the suspension ring or loop, as indicated in the drawings, with the result that the chain is maintained under tension, after it has been drawn taut, and so as to bring the upper and lower plaqueengaging elements properly into engaging positions, so that should the plaque itself be grasped and lifted, without at the same time holding taut the free end of the chain, the parts will not move so as to permit a separation of the two parts that engage respectively with the opposite edges of the plaque, and thereby permit the latter to be released.

I have hereinbefore stated that the chain and the parts carried thereby sometimes rock or turn relative to the lower hanger member of the holder in which the plaque rests and by which it is suspended, and this condition of affairs is represented in Fig. 2. It will be seen, however, that with a holder such as I have invented and herein illustrated there is no danger of the plaque becoming unsupported or disengaged from the holder, because of the wide separation of the two bearing hooks that engage with the upper edge of the plaque. The chain will never swing so far to one side relative to the lower hanger as to carry both hooks entirely to one side of a line passing through the loop 4 and downward midway between the hooks 2 of the lower hanger; and unless this relation of parts obtains there is no danger of the plaque being unsupported by reason of the relative vibration of the lower hanger and its suspending means. When the hanger is provided with means, such as the hook 10 or its equivalent, for securing the adjustable mem ber of the holder in position it is practicable and even advantageous to construct the diverging arms of the latter so that they act as springs to hold the hooks 7 into firm engagement with the plaque. This may be accomplished by shaping the wire of which each arm 6 is formed with a coil 11.

By constructing the upper plaque-engaging element of the hanger as shown, that is of wire or other elastic material shaped to have the diverging arms 6 carrying the Widely separated hooks 7, I insure its being elastic, so that, when the chain is drawn tight between the two elements of the hanger, the latter shall be held in engagement with the pla no or other article by spring pressure. 11 order to increase the elasticity of the arms, I prefer to shape them as shown in Fig. 2, that is with the coils 1]..

What I claim is:

- 1. In a suspension holder for plaques, the combination of a bifurcated hangerfor engaging the lower edge of the plaque, a suspension chain looped through the said hanger, an adjustable hooked device connected with the lower end of the chain and adapted to engage with the upper edge of the plaque, and means for securing the adjustable member of the holder relative to the hanger after the two parts have been caused to properly engage with the opposite edges of the plaque, substantially as set forth.

2. In a suspension holder for plaques, the combination of a bifurcated hanger for engaging with the lower edge of the plaque, having at its. upper end a loop, a suspension chain passed through the said loop, a bifurcated adjustable part for engaging with the upper edge of the plaque, connected with the lower end of the chain, a ring for holding in close relation the two strands of the chain, and a hook connected with the upper plaqueengaging element of the holder and adapted to be engaged with the chain, substantially as set forth.

3. In a suspension holderfor plaques and the like, the combination of a pair of meInbers arranged to engage respectively with the upper and the lower edges of the article to be held, one of the elements having a pair of diverging elastic arms arranged to engage with the edge of the article at widely sepa rated points, flexible means for uniting the said plaque-engaging elements and for putting under tension said elastic arms and maintaining them under tension, and means for suspending the plaque, connected with the said engaging elements, substantially as set forth.

4. In a suspension holder for plaques, a lower hanger provided with a loop, a chain passing through said loop, an upper adjustable member attached to one end of said chain, a ring attached to the said end of said chain and encircling the rear strand of said chain, and a hook also attached to the said end of said chain and adapted to engage the rear strand of said chain, substantially as set forth.

5. In a suspension holder ror plaques, a-

lower hanger provided with a loop, a chain passing through said loop, an upper adjustable member attached to one end of said chain, a ring attached to the said end of said chain and encircling the rear strand of said chain, and a hook attached to said ring and adapted to engage the rear strand of said chain, substantially as set forth.

6. In a suspension holder for plaques, a lower hanger provided with a loop, a chain passing through said loop, an upper adjustable member attached to one end of said chain, and means of securing together in fixed relation the strand of said chain on one side of the said loop of the lower hanger to the strand on the other side of said loop, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. TIMBERLAKE.

Witnesses:

J. S. BARKER, N. CUR'rrs LAMMOND. 

